Carpenter&#39;s layout instrument



Aug. 10, 1954 w. F. COLE 2,685,739

CARPENTER'S LAYOUT INSTRUMENT Filed oct. 22, 1951 La L /00 H96 Wi//am F.o/e

INVENToR.

/U BY Patented Aug. l0, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARPENTERSLAYOUT INSTRUMENT william F. cole, pister Park, N. y.

Application October 22, 1951, Serial No. 252,438

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in protractors andthe primary object of the present invention is to provide an 2 Claims..A(Cl. 33-1) instrument for laying out building lines, boundary markersand the like.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a layoutinstrument for builders, carpenters and other such artisans including apair of pivotally connected members each slidably carrying a line,together with a protractor forming part of one of the members, wherebythe included angle between the two lines may be readily determined.

A further object of the present invention is to provi-de an instrumentof the aforementioned character including novel and improved means forguiding and retaining lines relative to the two members forming theinstrument.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a protractorlayout instrument that is simple and practical in construction, strongand reliable in use, small and compact in structure, inexpensive tomanufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which thesame is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view looking down upon Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view takensubstantially on the plane of section line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view takensubstantially on the plane of section line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the retaining hookintegrally formed with the line guide member; and,

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the invention in use.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the numerals I 0 and I2 represent a pair of elongated, liatmembers of any suitable material, such as plastic, metal, wood or thelike, whose central portions are joined by a hollow rivet I4 havingattened or peened ends I 6 and I8.

The upper` face of the member I0 is provided with graduations 20,preferably in inches, along one of its longitudinal edges. The upperface of member I0 is also formed with a central 1ongitudinal groove orchannel 22 that extends throughout the length of the member IIJ.Retaining clips or hook members 24 are provided with anchoring anges 26that are embedded in the ends of member I Il and the members 24 opposethe ends of the groove 22 as shown in Figure l.

A protractor 26 is formed with the member I0 or the protractor issuitably xed to the member IU. This protractor is provided with two rowsof indicia or angle graduations 2S and 35 one of which progressivelyincreases from left to right and the other of which progressivelydecreases from left to right, as shown in Figure 1.

The undersurface or bottom face of the member I2 is provided with alongitudinal central groove or channel 32. Clips or hooks 24 areprovided with attaching anges, similar to 26, that are embedded in theends of the member I 2 and the hooks 24 oppose the ends of the groove32. A pair of longitudinal slots 34 are provided in the member I2 forselectively registering with the indicia 28 or 30.

It should be noted that the central portions of the grooves 22 and 32are provided with depressions 36 and 38 accommodating the ends I6 and E8 of pivot I4, thereby permitting lines L and LI sliding in the groovesto have unrestricted sliding movement.

Although the hooks 24 and 24 are shown as being separate elements inFigures 1-4 inclusive, the hooks 24a may be integrally formed with themember Illa and the other member as shown in Figure 5.

In practical use of the present invention as shown in Figure 6, theinstrument I is employed for receiving the two closing lines L and LI ofa layout La and with the indicia registering with one of the slots 34the lines L and LI will be at right angles to each other. Obviously anydesired angle between the two lines may also be determined through useof the instrument.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of theconstruction, operation and advantages of the device will be quiteapparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description isaccordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A building layout instrument comprising a pair of elongated membersdisposed one above the other and centrally pivotally connected togetner,a longitudinal line guide groove in the under surface of the lower ofthe members, a longitudinal guide groove in the upper surface of theother member, mea-ns permanently attached to each end of the lower ofthe members and facing the groove in the lower of the members forretaining a line in the groove of the lower of the members, additionalmeans permanently attached to the ends of the upper of the members andoverlying the groove in the upper of the members for retaining a line inthe groove in the upper oi" the members, and a protraotor nxed to theupper of the members and having a ninety degree marking aligned withvthe lower oi the members when the members are disposed at right angleste each other, longitudinally extending slots in the lower oi themembers aligned with the groove therein, the slots being selectivelyregistrable with indicia on the protractor for indi-eating the anglebetween lines carried by the members.

2. A building layout instrument comprising a pail of elongated members,a pivot securing central portions of the members together and retainingthe members one above the other, the

members each having inner and outer faces, means carried by the outerface of each member for slidably receiving a line, said means includinga hook at each end of each member, said hooks being aligned with eachother, and a groove in each member between the hooks thereof, the pivotbeing in the form of a unit having ilattened ends recessed in the wallsof the grooves to permit unrestricted sliding movement of lines in thegrooves, and a protractor secured to one of the members and overlyingthe other of the members, elongated slots in the other memberlongitudinally aligned with the groove therein, the slots beingselectively registrable with indicia on the protraetor for indicatingthe angle between lines carried by the members.

iiteierenoes Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 350,247 Reichenbach Mar. 29, 1887 855,700 Roberts Oot.22, 1907 978,458 Pike Oct. 18, 1910 1,135,743 Walker Apr. 13, 19151,327,198 Carlson Jan. 6, 1920 1,368,857 Stevens Feb. 15, 1921 1,401,200Smith Dec. 27, 1921 1,913,919 Dion June 13, 1933 2,327,058 OKeefe Aug.17, 1943 2,559,697 Anders July 10, 1951 2,553,674 Coots Aug. 7, 1951

